Folding keyboard height extender

ABSTRACT

A folding keyboard height extender with a top plate, a bottom plate, and a right and left side hinged side arrangements. Each hinged side arrangements has an upper plate and a lower plate that are hinged to each other and between the left and right side edges of the top and bottom plates. An inner folding wall is hingeably attached to an underside of the top plate. In a first extended state, the right and left side hinged side arrangements form tall and straight walls, and the inner folding wall is swung down perpendicular to the top bottom plates and to the right and side hinged side arrangements. In a second lowered state, the upper and lower plates of the right and left side hinged side arrangements lay flat against each other, and the inner folding wall is folded up and is sandwiched between the top plate and bottom plate.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of keyboard stands and accessoriestherefore, and more particularly to folding keyboard height extendedthat can be mounted between a keyboard stand and a keyboard standsupport.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As the use of computers becomes more pervasive in all aspects of workand play, people are tending to spend more and more time at their deskswhile seated in front of computer keyboard. Studies have shown that froman ergonometric standpoint, and from a general health maintenanceperspective, that it is beneficial that the height of the keyboard beperfectly adjusted to a user's needs so that excess strain on his or herbody is prevented. To meet these well know needs, numerous keyboard andmouse stands are available that mount under a desk at one end, have anextension arm extending away from the desk, and have at an opposite endwith a keyboard and mouse platform(s), herein generally referred to as“keyboard platforms.” Many of these prior keyboard platform designs havefeatures to allow users to adjust the keyboard platform, such as bysliding the keyboard platform from side to side, tiling it, and/ormoving it up and down.

Recent studies have shown that there are health advantages to users whenthey spend at least a portion of the workday standing up rather thanjust sitting down. Indeed, many luminaries in history preferred to usestand up or standing desks, including Benjamin Franklin, ErnestHemingway, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Winston Churchill.For whatever the reason, there has been a renewed interest in standupdesks and desk stands. Some are touting the benefits of desks and standsthat allow users to walk on treadmills. While stand up desks are gainingin popularity, most users still like the option of being able to sit atleast part of the day, particularly when they start using stand updesks. To address these needs, companies are offering desks that switchbetween a user seated mode and a user standing mode. Unfortunately,these desks are still relatively costly and not widely available.Therefore, for users who wish to use computer keyboard at desks designedfor sitting have difficult in transitioning to a standing positionbecause the keyboard level is incapability of being changed from a firstlower position, set for a seated user, to a second higher position, setfor a standing user. In these common situations, the user mustphysically move the computer keyboard (and computer and monitor if alaptop is not being used) between two surfaces.

It would accordingly be beneficial if there were a keyboard heightextended available for mounted between a keyboard stand and a keyboardstand support.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a folding keyboard height extender, comprising:

a top plate with a left side edge and a right side edge;

a bottom plate with a left side edge and a right side edge;

a right side hinged side arrangement and a left side hinged sidearrangement, each right and left side hinged side arrangement comprisinga upper plate and a lower plate, the upper plate having an upper edgeand a lower edge, the lower plate having an upper edge and a lower edge,wherein each upper plate is hingeably attached at its upper edges to oneof the left and right side edges of the top plate, wherein the loweredges of the upper plates are hingeably attached to the upper edges ofthe lower plates, and wherein the lower edges of each lower plates ishingeably attached to one of the left and right side edges of the bottomplate; and

an inner folding wall hingeably attached to an underside of the topplate generally perpendicularly to the right side hinged sidearrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement;

wherein in a first extended state, the upper plate and a lower plate ofthe right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged sidearrangement extend generally end to end to form tall and straight walls,and the inner folding wall extends generally perpendicularly to the topplate and bottom plate and generally perpendicularly to the right sidehinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, whereinin a second lowered state, the upper and lower plates of the right sidehinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement arelaid generally flat against each other, and the inner folding wallextends generally parallel and sandwiched between the top plate andbottom plate.

In another embodiment the invention provides a folding keyboard heightextender, comprising:

a top plate with and left and right side edges;

a bottom plate with a left and right side edges;

a right side hinged side arrangement and a left side hinged sidearrangement, each right and left side hinged side arrangement comprisinga upper plate and a lower plate, the upper plates and lower plates beinghinged together and also being hinged between the left and right sideedges of the top plate and the bottom plate; and

an inner folding wall hingeably attached to an underside of the topplate generally perpendicularly to the right side hinged sidearrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement;

wherein in a first extended state, the upper plate and a lower plate ofthe right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged sidearrangement extend generally end to end to form tall and straight walls,and the inner folding wall extends generally perpendicularly to the topplate and bottom plate and generally perpendicularly to the right sidehinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, whereinin a second lowered state, the upper and lower plates of the right sidehinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement arelaid generally flat against each other, and the inner folding wallextends generally parallel and sandwiched between the top plate andbottom plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front right isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of afolding keyboard height extender of the invention in its extended state,showing an exemplary keyboard platform and an exemplary extender arm foruser thereof in phantom lines.

FIG. 2 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboardheight extended of

FIG. 1, showing the extender arm in phantom lines.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG.2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG.2.

FIG. 6 is a right side view of the folding keyboard height extender ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a section view through view lines 7-7 of FIG. 3 of the foldingkeyboard height extender.

FIG. 8 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboardheight extender of FIG. 2, with its supporting wall partially swungupwardly.

FIG. 9 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboardheight extender of

FIG. 8, with its supporting wall completed swung upwardly.

FIG. 10 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboardheight extender of FIG. 9, with its side walls partially foldedoutwardly to partially lower the top plate.

FIG. 11 is a lower front left isometric view of the folding keyboardheight extender of FIG. 10, with its side walls completely foldedoutwardly to completely lower the top plate.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG.11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning to FIGS. 1-7, there are shown various views of an exemplaryfolding keyboard height extender 10 of the invention in its fully raisedposition, wherein FIG. 1 is a front right isometric view showing thekeyboard height extender 10 with a keyboard platform 12 and an exemplaryextender arm device 14 for user therewith shown in phantom lines. FIG. 2is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboard heightextended 10 of FIG. 1, showing a keyboard bracket portion 72 of theextender arm in phantom lines but not the keyboard platform 12. FIG. 3is a front view, FIG. 4 is a top view, FIG. 5 is a bottom view, and FIG.6 is a right side view of the folding keyboard height extender 10 andthe exemplary extender arm bracket portion 14. FIG. 7 is a section viewthrough view lines 7-7 of FIG. 3 of the folding keyboard height extender10 and extender arm bracket portion 14. The folding keyboard heightextender 10 has a top plate 16, a bottom plate 18, a left side hingedside arrangement 20A, and a right side hinged side arrangement 20B. Theleft side hinged side arrangement 20A is made up of an upper plate 22Aand a lower plate 24A. The top plate 16 and the bottom plate 18 aregenerally rectangular in shape. The folding keyboard height extender 10can be made of high strength material, such as metal, plastic,composites, wood, strong glass, and the like. The upper plate 16 ishinged along a top edge 28A via one or more hinges 30A to a left sideedge 32A of the upper plate 16. A lower edge 34A of the upper plate 22Ais hinged with one or more hinges 36A to an upper edge 38A to the lowerplate 24A. Lastly, a lower edge 40A is hinged with one or more hinges42A to a left side edge 44A of the lower plate 18. The right side hingedside arrangement 24B is similar to that of the left side hingedarrangement 24A, and is made up of made up of an upper plate 22B and alower plate 24B. The upper plate 16 is hinged along a top edge 28B viaone or more hinges 30B to a right side edge 32B of the upper plate 16. Alower edge 34B of the upper plate 22B is hinged with one or more hinges36B to an upper edge 38B to the lower plate 24B. Lastly, a lower edge40B is hinged with one or more hinges 42B to a right side edge 44B ofthe lower plate 18. The folding keyboard height extender 10 furtherincludes an inner folding wall 50 with an upper edge 52, a lower edge54, and a left side edge 56A and a right side edge 56B. The left sideedge 56A and a right side edge 56B can include cutouts 58 designed toclear the hinges 36A and 36B when the inner folding wall 50 is in itslowered position, as shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 7. The cutouts 58 can begenerally rectangular. The inner folding wall 50 is preferably hingeablyattached to an underside 60 of the upper plate 16 with at least onehinge 62. The inner folding wall 50 may additional include a lowercutout 64. The lower cutout 64 is include for user to grasp the innerfolding wall 50 and also provides a space for clearance for an swing arm70 of the extender arm device 14 in case the user wishes to swing thefolding keyboard height extender 10 downwardly, where the swing arm 70might otherwise impact on lower edge 54 of the inner folding wall 50when the folding keyboard height extender 10 is folded flat as shown inFIGS. 11 and 12. The lower cutout 64 can be generally rectangular. Thebottom plate 18 preferably also have a cutout 96 formed along a frontedge 98 thereof, which cutout 96 will likewise be available to clear theswing arm 70. The cutout 96 is preferably generally rectangular inshape. When in the extended state of the folding keyboard heightextender 10, the upper plates 22A&B and lower plates 24A&B of the rightside hinged side arrangement 20A and the left side hinged sidearrangement 20B extend generally end to end to form tall walls.

Referring to FIG. 1, the extender arm device 14 includes a swing arm 70,a keyboard bracket portion 72 pivotally attached to a distal end 74 ofthe swing arm 70, and a desk bracket 76 pivotally mounted to a proximalend 78 of the end of the swing arm 70. A swivel mount 80 on the deskbracket 76 permits the swing arm 70 to also be swung from side to siderelative to a desk or other object the extender arm device The keyboardbracket portion 72 would normally be mounted (e.g. screwed) to theunderside of the keyboard platform but for the use of the foldingkeyboard height extender 10 interposed therebetween.

Turning back to FIGS. 1-3 and 7, stops 66 extend upwardly from an uppersurface 68 of the bottom plate 18. The stops 66 are used to prevent theinner folding wall 50 from being moved beyond the point of the stops 66,and will retain the inner folding wall 50 perpendicular relative to thetop plate 16 and bottom plate 18. Thus, the inner folding wall 50 willhelp support the top plate 16 when the folding keyboard height extender10 is in its extended state. The left side edge 56A and right side edge56B of the inner folding wall 50 will preferably engage with the upperplates 22A&B and lower plates 22A&B of the left side hinged sidearrangement 20A and right side hinged side arrangement 20B,respectively, and help retain the inner folding wall 50 in place, andwill likewise pull up on the left side hinged side arrangement 20A andright side hinged side arrangement 20B so that their upper and lowerwalls remain aligned in a flat plane. In this state, the space betweenthe top plate 16 and bottom plate 18 will be a first largerpredetermined distance D₁, and any keyboard platform and items, such asa computer keyboard and mouse (not shown) will be raised relative to thekeyboard bracket portion 72 and extender arm device 14.

Again, the cutouts 58 in the inner folding wall 50 are to clear thehinges 36A and 36B during movement of the inner folding wall 50 from itextended state as shown, to its folded flat state of FIGS. 8-12. Incases where the hinges are flat with or recessed into the upper plate22A&B and lower plate 24A&B, then the cutouts 58 are not necessary.

FIG. 8 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboardheight extender 10 of FIG. 2, with its supporting wall 50 partiallyswung upwardly on its hinges 62 up towards the top plate 16, and FIG. 9is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboard heightextender 10 with its supporting wall 50 completed swung upwardly closeto the underside 60 of the top plate 16.

FIG. 10 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboardheight extender of FIG. 9, with its left side hinged side arrangement20A and right side hinged side arrangement 20B partially foldedoutwardly to start to lower the top plate 16 closer to the bottom plate18. This is accomplished with the upper plate 22A&B and lower plate24A&B being hinged out relative to each on the hinges 30A&B, 36A&B, and42A&B. FIG. 11 is a lower front left isometric view of the foldingkeyboard height extender 10, with its left side hinged side arrangement20A and right side hinged side arrangement 20B completely foldedoutwardly so that the upper plate 22A&B and lower plate 24A&B,respectively are laid flat on each other to completely lower the topplate 16 onto to the bottom plate 18. FIG. 12 is a front view of thefolding keyboard height extender 10 in its fold flat state. In thisstate, the space between the top plate 16 and bottom plate 18 will be asecond smaller predetermined distance D₂, and any keyboard platform anditems, such as a computer keyboard and mouse (not shown) will be loweredrelative to the keyboard bracket portion 72 and extender arm device (notshown.)

If desired, features can be included to retain the inner folding wall 50up against underside 60 of the top plate 16, such as one or more magnets90 positioned on a front side 92 of the inner folding wall 50, whichmagnet(s) 90 will magnetically attract to the top plate 16 when it ismade of steel. The position of the magnet(s) 90 can be switched to beplaced on the underside 60 of the top plate 16 when the inner foldingwall 50 is made of steel. In cases where the wall opposite the magnet(s)are not made or steel or other ferrous metals, a steel place can beplaced opposite the magnetic. Likewise, in lieu of magnetics, detachablyattachment material, such as hook and loop or hook and hook material canbe used if desired. It is also possible that the hinges be formed ofplastics, so that there is some friction, such that a user will need tomove the plates relative to each other to change their positions. Whilethe hinges are shown as being mounted to one side or the other of theplates, it is possible that the hinges be countersunk into the plates,or even formed together with the plates

The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed,however, so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize thatcertain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. Itis, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallydescribed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A folding keyboard height extender, comprising: atop plate with a left side edge and a right side edge; a bottom platewith a left side edge and a right side edge; a right side hinged sidearrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, each right and leftside hinged side arrangement comprising a upper plate and a lower plate,the upper plate having an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower platehaving an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein each upper plate ishingeably attached at its upper edges to one of the left and right sideedges of the top plate, wherein the lower edges of the upper plates arehingeably attached to the upper edges of the lower plates, and whereinthe lower edges of each lower plates is hingeably attached to one of theleft and right side edges of the bottom plate; and an inner folding wallhingeably attached to an underside of the top plate generallyperpendicularly to the right side hinged side arrangement and the leftside hinged side arrangement; wherein in a first extended state, theupper plate and a lower plate of the right side hinged side arrangementand the left side hinged side arrangement extend generally end to end toform tall and straight walls, and the inner folding wall extendsgenerally perpendicularly to the top plate and bottom plate andgenerally perpendicularly to the right side hinged side arrangement anda left side hinged side arrangement, wherein in a second lowered state,the upper and lower plates of the right side hinged side arrangement andthe left side hinged side arrangement are laid generally flat againsteach other, and the inner folding wall extends generally parallel andsandwiched between the top plate and bottom plate.
 2. The foldingkeyboard height extender of claim 1, wherein the inner folding wall hasa top edge, a bottom edge, a left side edge, and a right side edge, andthe left side edge and the right side edge will impinge on insidesurfaces of the upper and lower plates of the right side hinged sidearrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement to help retain itin place in the first extended state.
 3. The folding keyboard heightextender of claim 2, wherein a generally rectangular lower cutout isformed along a bottom edge of the inner folding wall, and generallyrectangular cutouts are formed along the left side edge and right sideedge of the inner folding wall.
 4. The folding keyboard height extenderof claim 1, further including a stop located on an upper surface of thebottom plate, the stop being positioned to prevent the inner foldingwall from being moved beyond the stop when the inner folding wall is inits extended state.
 5. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 1,wherein hinges are provided to hingeably attach the upper and lowerplates to each other and to the top plate and bottom plate, and hingesare provided to attach the inner folding wall to the top plate.
 6. Thefolding keyboard height extender of claim 1, wherein the bottom plate isadapted to attach to an extender arm bracket for mounting.
 7. Thefolding keyboard height extender of claim 1, wherein the top plate isadapted to attach to a keyboard platform.
 8. The folding keyboard heightextender of claim 1, wherein a generally rectangular cutout is formedalong a front edge of the bottom plate.
 9. A folding keyboard heightextender, comprising: a top plate with and left and right side edges; abottom plate with a left and right side edges; a right side hinged sidearrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, each right and leftside hinged side arrangement comprising a upper plate and a lower plate,the upper plates and lower plates being hinged together and also beinghinged between the left and right side edges of the top plate and thebottom plate; and an inner folding wall hingeably attached to anunderside of the top plate generally perpendicularly to the right sidehinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement;wherein in a first extended state, the upper plate and a lower plate ofthe right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged sidearrangement extend generally end to end to form tall and straight walls,and the inner folding wall extends generally perpendicularly to the topplate and bottom plate and generally perpendicularly to the right sidehinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, whereinin a second lowered state, the upper and lower plates of the right sidehinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement arelaid generally flat against each other, and the inner folding wallextends generally parallel and sandwiched between the top plate andbottom plate.
 10. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 9,wherein the inner folding wall has a top edge, a bottom edge, a leftside edge, and a right side edge, and the left side edge and the rightside edge will impinge on inside surfaces of the upper and lower platesof the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged sidearrangement to retain it in place in the first extended state.
 11. Thefolding keyboard height extender of claim 9, further including a stoplocated on an upper surface of the bottom plate, the stop beingpositioned to prevent the inner folding wall from being moved beyond thestop when the inner folding wall is in its extended state.
 12. Thefolding keyboard height extender of claim 9, wherein a generallyrectangular lower cutout is formed along a bottom edge of the innerfolding wall, and generally rectangular cutouts are formed along theleft side edge and right side edge of the inner folding wall.
 13. Thefolding keyboard height extender of claim 9, wherein the bottom plate isadapted to attach to an extender arm bracket for mounting.
 14. Thefolding keyboard height extender of claim 9, wherein the top plate isadapted to attach to a keyboard platform.
 15. The folding keyboardheight extender of claim 9, wherein a generally rectangular cutout isformed along a front edge of the bottom plate.